Duet of Flames
by Francois Monmoir
Summary: . Its name derived from its wings, which give it an angelic look, The Archangel is a beautiful machine.
1. Default Chapter

In 240cb, after Martian colonies declared independence, Earth and Mars are finally reaching a hesitant friendship

In 240cb, after Martian colonies declared independence, Earth and Mars are finally reaching a hesitant friendship. As both earth and Mars move to expand to further worlds, however, the friendship unravels. Fighting breaks out on Jupiter colonies, sending waves of anger from Pluto back to Earth itself. Politicians on both sides try to Quell the storm fast threatening to destroy peace between the two great powers. Hoping to suppress uprising, military forces from both sides are sent to the colonies.

Tensions do not fall however, and forces on the fringe worlds become anxious. As underground arms races prepare, politicians try their last efforts to keep peace. 

Finally, war breaks out on Jupiter colony, Sadarut, where a Martian force invaded, killing nearly all people in the completely civilian colony. Outraged, colonies of Jupiter launched a counter attack onto several Saturn military bases. After occupying the bases, Jupiter began preparations for mass production of its finest weapon, the archangel. Word spreading to other colonies, production of technically advanced weaponry begins all over.

" This is Archangel _Michael_, all units report in."

" Red wing, all units ready."

" Blue wing, all units ready."

" Blue sword, all units ready."

" Guardian shield in position."

" Let's go over the plan one more time," Crezcs needed this operation to go perfectly. " Guardian shield, you are to patrol the outskirts, any sighting, report in to me, and withdraw. We are not here to engage heavy forces. Red wing, you secure the eastern gate and surrounding areas, Blue wing, you have the west, Blue sword, follow me through the front gate. We need to find the weapon designs, maybe the weapon itself. If the weapon is activated, destroy it. This is an in and out operation. Do not, I repeat, do not use unnecessary force to secure an area. We've reached the start point, begin the operation."

Easing through Saturn's atmosphere, Crezcs eased _Michael_ higher, until finally space was visible. The colony hovered in space peacefully. It was a shame to have to disturb it. It wasn't personal. Crezcs' forces kept with him, making a beautiful display. The archangel is a beautiful machine. It's name derived from its wings, which give it an angelic look. 

The colony went peacefully, there were very few enemy frames. Frames are vehicles, machines designed like humans to give them added mobility and versatility, like an archangel. Crezcs didn't like it. A military base holding a secret weapon should have more defenses. 

" This is Michael, Guardian shield report in."

"Nothing to report… wait. Something …weird flashed on radar… It's gone."

"Yeah, Sir, same thing just happened to me…"

" Disband, It's a trap!"

Crezcs sped at full speed out of the colony finding all of Guardian Shield destroyed. His radar fuzzed. _They've developed stealth!_

" All units, disband into Saturn's rings. It's hopeless to stay…"

" That wouldn't happen to be Crezcs Seize, now would it?"

" Zaph, how've you been, sorry we couldn't meet on better circumstances…"

" I'm not. Oh don't be sorry Crezcs, enjoy you're last minutes alive." All around Crezcs forces emerged frames, as if out of nowhere. " You have no chance, Crezcs."

" Maybe not, but I won't be destroyed…"

" Oh, how's that?"

" You can't destroy what you can't catch…" _Michael's _engines created such power, It was hard to keep track of it. Crezcs' forces doing the same, Zaph was left without an enemy.

" Sir, should we follow them?"

" No, we did our part here. Report back to base."

The Frames fading back into oblivion, The colony was back to it's lonely peace…


	2. Face off

"Sir…Lieutenant Zaph, sir…

"Sir…Lieutenant Zaph, sir…." The lieutenant lay quiet still. "Sir, you must wake…"

"I am awake private, now leave me be." Zaph sliced in. He had been so close… so close to the bastard, and Crezcs had slipped through his fingers. "Damn it!"

"Sir?"

Zaph simply cocked his pistol and pointed it at the private. When he was once again alone, his thoughts slipped back to the only memory he could hold onto anymore.

She had been everything. Lying with her, so close to be nearly one with her. It had been the last time together. Then, Crezcs came. Bringing with him destruction and ruin. He had taken her life. For that, Crezcs would have to pay with his life.

Zaph's anger roused him. He had a job to do, anyway…

Getting into his frame, Zaph become a different person. Something about the frame gave it a personality. One couldn't help but be overcome by it when piloting. _Mistsyealya_… the ghost frame, it had a darker personality, but Zaph felt it suited him just fine. Maybe he would run into Crezcs. In any case, today is as good as any to die.

" How was your sleep, Lieutenant?" a familiar voice over the comm.

" What sleep, Basil?" Zaph continued routine check ups.

" That's what I thought. Right. Your mission is quite simple. You are to take you units, and attack the Aytrine base, which has been occupied since the invasion of Saturn began. As soon as you confirm that you have taken the base, the rest of the forces will begin their attacks on the rest of the bases. We need you to take your base first, so the rest of the bases will have no where to gather. If this works, we'll drive them off the planet."

"And if it fails I die." Crezcs said under his breath.

" I suggest you succeed then. Basil out"

__

Bastard still has great hearing. Ha! Slowly, space surrounded _Mistsyealya_. Even though Zaph could see nothing but stars, all around him were his wraiths. Sometimes, this was just too easy… 

The Aytrine base was constructed to be a strategic strong hold of southern Saturn. To get there, Zaph and his unit had to pass by several other colonies and bases. The Aytrine base, the biggest base on Saturn. Good thing the defenses couldn't see the wraiths.

Getting in was the easy part. Without any indication of an enemy, the doors were left wide open. Positioning his wraiths, Zaph waited for the perfect moment. For minutes, Zaph watched the radar and positioning screen. Something was strange about the movement patterns of the enemy frames…

" How've you been Zaph?"

"…." Zaph stood motionless in shock. How did he know?

" Oh, don't be angry, Zaph, I'm sorry I didn't say hello earlier. Take a nice look on your 'grid Zaph. Notice the movement pattern? Nice little decoy, if I say so myself. Take a look behind you."

Zaph turned around to see the Photon cannon of an archangel staring him down. It had to be Crezcs' _Michael_. "Nice frame Crezcs."

"Surprised how I know where you are, huh? All of my men are emitting a certain wave, get close enough, we see you."

" You ARE proud aren't you?" Zaph studied the 'grid again. Several of his men where left pretty much free. If he could signal them, he might be able to destroy this base… at least it would half accomplish the mission…

" Give up your troops, and we will spare your lives."

" I'd rather die then give into you… I will kill you or die trying. Either way, this ends now." Zaph changed his frequency to signal his men. " They can see us, attack!" taking the moment, Zaph engaged Mistsyealya's twin beam scissors, gorging into the cannon. Quickly, he did the same with the set on his left hand, slashing it across Crezcs' damned beautiful machine.

" That won't do you any good," Crezcs said lazily. "Take yet another look at me." before Zaph's eyes, the sliced parts of _Michael _started to form together again. Stunned by what was happening, Zaph didn't see the beam sword swing, and then cut into _Mistsyealya._ Zaph was now immobile.

" You've lost.." _Michael _stood, holding the blue beam sword directly at _Mistsyealya_. Suddenly, explosions rang through the entire base. Fire began to grow everywhere.

" Maybe I have… but THEY haven't!" Zaph began to laugh. _This is how it will end!_ " You WILL die, Crezcs!"

" Why do you hate me so much?"

" You killed the only person to ever mean anything to me." Zaph stopped laughing. "5 years ago…" _Mistsyealya _began to rise. " You KILLED her. It's only fair that I should take your life…"

Fire erupting everywhere uncontrollably, the two frames faced each other… 


	3. Daze

Zaph found himself floating through his consciousness

Zaph found himself floating through his consciousness. Memories, like waves, came rolling in out. Five years ago… he couldn't stop going back. Rayn, the only person he had cared for. The memory of her dying flashed again and again inside Zaph's head, only to be replaced with Crezcs. Holding his gun level, smoke coming out of the barrel. His cold, stoic face showing not even a trace of remorse. Why? Why had he come that day?

Colony 412 on Mars, 243cb. Zaph remembered his life there. The colony was a peaceful one, consisting of only civilians. Although Martian colonies had agreed on independence, not all of the colonies militarized on it. For most of the war, Zaph's home colony hadn't planed or aided a single attack. That wouldn't save them from feeling the pain.

It was a Sunday… possibly a Monday. Life had been regular on colony 412 through the war. The closest anyone ever got to the war was to hear about it through the news. That night had been special for Rayn and Zaph. It wasn't the fornication; it was much more than any physical boundary. No, there was something strong between them. Love? Zaph would never know. She was taken away from him.

In the earlier hours, as much as one can devise time while living in a colony, the attack began. Those damned frames, swept down seemingly out of nowhere, destroying innocent lives, destroying civilian buildings. Destroying the peace. Crezcs landed, and got out of his frame, Rayn ran towards him, a rock in her hand. She would never even throw the rock. Glancing at her, Crezcs whipped out his pistol, and shot Rayn. In cold blood.

The memory of her death came back. Rushing to her, Zaph picked her up, tears streaming down his face. She was fast fading from him. "No, you can't die," Zaph whispered, "don't die. YOU CAN'T DIE LIKE THIS!!!!" Zaph screamed till his throat was raw. He sat there hours after the light in her eyes had faded to nothing. Sitting hushed, cradling the love he could no longer have. Anger wouldn't set upon him till after she had been buried. Then all he had lived for was to see the immovable face of Crezcs writhed in pain, to see the bastard die like he had seen his love die.

Zaph regained his consciousness, laying somewhere dark. Zaph tried to get up, discovering all his muscles to be bruised. Zaph feel down again. No need to hurt himself more. Moving his head, Zaph caught the only sign he needed: bars. He was in some sort of prison. _Might as well catch some sleep._

The cold floor was strangely comforting to Zaph's skin. He didn't dream, but just slept. Two men pulling him to his feet, beginning to drag him, through a long hallway awakened him. Dizzily, Zaph tried to understand what was going on. Finally, the men stopped, propped him on a table and left. Sitting up, his head felt like he was going through a hangover. Coaxing his eyes to open, Zaph took a look around the room. It was another cell of some sort, but nicely furnished. Confused, Zaph again fell onto his back, and slept.


	4. destination

When Zaph woke again, he was not alone

When Zaph woke again, he was not alone. Though he couldn't quite make out who it was, he had an awful feeling it was… "Crezcs? How are you? Sleep well?"

"Shut up idiot. You've been in and out of consciousness for the past week. Do you have any idea how seriously injured you are?"

Zaph tried again to get up, accomplishing nothing but a hard thud onto the floor.

"Nice. You're legs are broken. You also won't find your arms much use either. That pain in your head, that's from the gash across your forehead."

" So, why am I still alive?" Zaph looked down at his legs, bandaged.

" Why should you be dead?" Crezcs still wore that impassive face. 

" Well, for one, I will do all I can to kill you while I have breath in me. Do you even need a second reason?" Zaph started come back to his senses, feeling the control of morphine numbing his limbs.

" You really don't remember what happened do you?" 

Zaph stared at his unemotional nemesis. " What are you talking about? Do you even know?"

Crezcs studied the pathetic lump before him. " You are hopeless. Do you remember attacking the colony?"

" I remember my forces tearing yours to pieces…" Zaph tried to laugh, didn't make it.

" That's where you're wrong. Your forces, as far as I know, were destroyed. I lost nearly all of mine. But it wasn't our fighting that did this."

" What do mean?" Zaph was already drugged, this was too much to understand. 

" We were attacked by some unknown group. They took both our forces by surprise, destroyed everything." For a split second, Zaph could have sworn he saw Crezcs flinch.

" Do you know anything about this group?" 

" Since you've been…out of commission, we've received reports of related attacks on various colonies throughout the solar systems, but not on Earth or Mars. We don't really know who it would be, but the technology is advanced. They destroyed both our forces, with maybe six frames." Again, a momentary emotional reflex.

" You can't be serious, only six?!" Zaph sat, unable to conceive how anything could be so powerful, as to take out an entire colony, two battalions, and with only six frames.

" I don't understand it either. For now, the most we can do is wait and prepare."

"So, where are we now?" Zaph looked around, getting more familiar with the room. 

" Aboard the Morpheus. It's a battle cruiser. Your frame is being prepared. None of your force was found…" For the third time, Crezcs had a split second leak of emotion.

" They fought well." Zaph felt a the lump grow in his throat. 

" Very." For a short time, Crezcs and Zaph had something to identify on.

"Where have the attacks been centered." Zaph added one more thing to do in his life. More revenge.

" That's the thing, we haven't found any real pattern in the attacks. Some on mars, some on Jupiter, even a few on Pluto."

" Pluto? That can't be right, Pluto is neutral, isn't it?"

" It is. Besides it being far from the rest of the colonies, it has no real strategic value that I can see."

Zaph scratched his head. " Where are we going?"

" Right now, we are just waiting in the middle of nowhere. Any Ideas?"

" Pluto. There's got to be something there…"


End file.
